Filing appliance.



.E. 'I'. SILVIUS.

FILING APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I4, 1914.

Patented Mm 23, N18.

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E. T. Sl'LVlUS.

FILING APPLIANCE. APPLICATION man Au s.14.'1914.

mmm m. 23, um

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WITNESSES:

E. T. Siu/ws. FILING APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I4| i914.

Patented Apr. 23,1918.r

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4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

y WITNESSES.-

ELLIS T. SILVIUS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

FILING APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 23, 19M.

Application filed August 14, 1914. 'A Serial No. 856,752.`

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELLIS T. SILvIUs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana,haveV invented a new and useful Filing Appliance, of which the followingis a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings andto the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to means for filing papers systematically andcommonly known as tiling cabinets or appliances, more particularly ofthe type that is employed in credit systems for taking care of bill orsale slips, the invention having reference more particularly to framesor leaves for holding the slips or other papers, and means forsupporting and controlling the frames or leaves, more especially when itis designed that the frames or leaves shall normally stand uprightly inechelon and so as to be moved to prone position to form a rectangularpack.

An yobject of the invention is to provide a filing appliance of theabove-mentioned character that shall be so constructed that the framesor leaves may be uprightly supported and prevented from fallingrearward, in a simple manner, and so as to diS- pense with an equalizeror traveling abutment and separate supports therefor, a particularobject being to'provide such structure as to permit the use of otherwisenecessary parts of the structure in a dual capacity whereby the framesorv leaves are maintained in upright position when being moved forwardor rearward when one or more of the forward leaves are moved to or fromprone position'.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved constructionin connections for filing frames or leaves that shall permit the latterto be moved eitherinto echelon arrangement or into the form of arectangular pack without requiring hinges of such character as to beadjustable relatively to the frame or leaf they support.

A still further object is to Vprovide improved frame or leaf connectionsthat shall permit of relatively longitudinal and also pivotal movementof the frames or leaves, and enable the forward one of a set of leavesto support all the remaining leaves together with a back support forthem, and which A shall be simple and yet strong and durable withoutrequiring direct pivotal connection between the frames or leaves;another object also being to provide improved means for controlling themovement of the frames or leaves. y

A further and more specic object of the invention is to provide animproved appliance which shall be adapted to support a set of filingframes or leaves either in a casing for operation or when removed fromthe casing to be cared for in a fireproof safe or vault. i

vThe invention consists in a plurality7 of ling frames or leaves havingmeans indi rectly connecting them together for longitudinal and pivotalmovement, each with respect to thel other, an improved casing havingcontrolling means with which the connecting means cooperate forcontrolling the frames or leaves, and a novel rest carried by the framesor leaves for preventing them from falling rearward; the inventionconsisting also further in the parts and combinations and arrangementsof parts as hereinafter particularly described and further defined inthe appended claims.

Referring to the drawings-Figure l is a front elevation of a filingappliance or cabinet constructed substantially in accordance with theinvention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the set of improved tilingframes or leaves removed from their casing; Fig'. 3 is al fragmentarysection showin g the frames or leaves in prone position as on the planeof the line A A on Fig. l; Fig. l is a fragn mentary sectionapproximately on the line B B on Fig. l; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary`section showing a. number of the frames in prone position and a numberin upright position; Fig. 6 is a bottom plan or end view y of one of thefra-mesior leaves; Fig. 7 is a fragmentarysection on the line D l) onFig. 6; F ig. 8 is a fragmentary section approxia mately on the line EEon Fig. 55 Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section on the line F F on Fig. i.;Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section with the frames in different positionsas on the line G G onFig. 8; Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectionapproximately on the line H H on Fig. 10; Fig. 12 is a fragmentarysection on the line I l on Fig. 1; Fig. 13 is a perspective view of oneof the controlling arms for the frames carrying a portion of the restthat maintains the leaves in upright position; Fig. 111 is aperspectivel View of one of the gear segments which co-y operate tosupport the frames uprightly; Fig. 15 is a perspective view of one ofthe devices for connecting the frames together; Fig. 16 is a perspectiveview of` one ofthe controlling arms; and', Fig. 17 is a fragmentaryperspective view of one of the frames. vSimilar reference characters onthe different figures of the drawings indicate like elements or featuresof construction herein referred to in detail.

In practically carrying out the objects of the invention, a case adaptedto constitute a part of the register or filing cabinet is provided andsuitably comprises a bottom 1, a back 2 on the rear end of the/bottoni,sides 3 and et extending upward from the bottom and forwardl from theback, the forward portions of the sides being relatively low and havinga front 5 on which is a top or lidv 6 for supporting the frames orleaves when in prone position and conveniently serving as a desk-portionofthe cabinet in which a drawer 7 is suitably arranged. The caseincludes a transverse rail or frame support 8 connected to the sides ata suitable distance forward of the back 2. The rear portion of the railis provided with fixed bent fingers 9 and 9 and the forward portion`ofthe'rail is provided with a movable button 10.

y' rl`he set of filing frames preferably being provided with a portablesupporting frame, a'base plate 11 is provided4 which is removablysecured by the fingers 9 and 9 and the button` 10 to the top of the rail8, and it has two pivot stands 12 and 13 thereon for pivot-allysupporting the foremost one of the frames or leaves. Two guide plates 14and'l are fixed on the end portions of the base plate and normallyextend upward on theinner sides of the sides 3 and 4 respectively of thecase. The guide plates preferably have separate parts 16 and 17respectively which are fixedly secured to the sides of the case againstthe rear edges of the main portions of the plates. One guide plate hascurved guideways 18, 19, 2O and 21 on its inner side, the opposite guideplate having corresponding guideways 18,l 19', 2.0f'and 2l". The.guideways preferably are irregularly curved substantially as shown.

tops of thel guide,y plates 14. and. 15". have notches 22 and 22"therein respectively that normally receive spring catches 23 and 23which are mounted on the plate portions 1G and 17 respectively.

A suitable number of filing frames or leavesQLl, 25, 25, 25 and 2G areprovided, the leaves being provided with suitable devices such as springclamps 27. 27, whereby'to removably hold papers on the f 'ames orleaves. rlhe forward upper portions of the fames preferably haveindexing charactors or numerals 2S and 2S) thereon as is customary. Thelower forward portion of Vthe foremost frame 24- is provided withhinging ears 30 and 30 that are connected by means of pivots 3.1. and 31to the stands 12 and 13 respectively, the connections preferably beingpermanent. The forward portion of the remaining frames are devoid ofpivoting devices. The normal lower rear portion of each one exceptingthe rearmost one of the frames or leaves is provided with two pivotingears 32 and 3i .in which pivotal shafts 33 and 33 are respectivelymounted. Novel gear segments 3l and 3l are provided and fixedly securedto the shafts respectively. The curved peripheral portions ofthesegments have gear teeth 35 and 35. thereon respectively, and the gearsegments have also curved peripheral guide portions 36 and 36respectively at one end of the gear teeth, the guide portions preferablycorresponding to the pitch line of the gear teeth. The normal lower endof each one excepting the foremost one of the frames or leaves isprovided with two guide bars 37 and 38 that extend downward and alsolaterally beyond the sides of the frames, the forward sides of thelaterally extending portions having gear teeth 39 and 3 9 thereonrespectively for engaging the teeth of the V segments and constituterack bars. The lower portions of the bars have stop projections 4l()vand 40 on the rearward side thereof respectively. rlhe two rack bars ofeach frame are in engagement with and normally supported by the twosegments that are mounted on the next adjacent forward frame or leaf,whereby the leaves are normally supported in upright position in steppedorder, the rack bars being maintained in connection with the segments bvnovel yokes comprising links i1 and d2 connected to the shaft 33 andalso to a pivot rod 43 having a roller 44- thereon. and similar links l1and 12' connected to the shaft 33 and also to a pivot rod i3 lniving aroller 441 thereon. rlhe yokes embrace the rack bars and the rollers areguided. on the backs of the. bars to normally rest on the stopprojections. The shafts 33 and 33 are provided with controlling arms 45and 45 respectively that are fixedly connected to the outer end portionsof the shafts and are provided respectivelyy with wristv pins 16 andL16" having rollers i7 and Li7 respectively" lll) that are guided in the"guideways provided on the guide plates` 14 and 15 whereby the gearsegments are prevented from rotating on their axes. vThe shafts 33and`83 that arecarried by the frame or leaf 25, which is neXt adjacentto the rearmost one of the leaves, are provided with relatively strongerand heavier controlling arms 48 and 48 respectively that perform thefunctions of the othercontrolling armsbut they preferably have otherstrong arms 49 and 49 integrally connected thereto respectively andextending rearward, the rear endjportions being preferably provided withsockets 50 and 50 and connected to a tie-rod 51. Standards 52 and 52 arepreferably removably mounted in the sockets and are thereby carrieduprightly to constitutea rest for thev back of the rearmost tilingframe, the upper ends of the standards preferably having rollers orbuffers 53 and 53 respectively. The arms 48 and 49, as will be seen,form a leverthat is fulcrumed between its ends, the forward ends of thelevers being controlled by the guideways 21 and 21.

Various modifications may be made if desired, as for instance arms 45and 45 may be substituted for the arms 48 and 48', and the rest for theback of the rearmost frame may be otherwise supported and controlled ifdesired, without departing from the spirit and intent of the invention.

In practice the frames or leaves are normally in upright position inechelon and all are bodily supported by the foremost one of the frames,one of the frames carrying the back rest for maintaining all the framesin normal position through the cooperation of the controlling arms withthe guideways that are properly designed and arranged on the inner sidesof the filing case. One or,

more of the frames or leaves may be drawn forward to prone position inorder to gain access to the papers tiled on the frames or leaves, andduring the forward movement to prone position the rack bars roll on thegear segments and guide the yolres so that they are always radialrelatively to the pivotal axes of the gear segments, as seen moreclearly in Fig. 10. The rolling movement of the rack bars on thesegments causes the leaves when in prone position to form a rectangularpack, since the leaves during their forward movement move downward andrear ward relatively to the adjacent forward leaves. 0n return movementof the frames `from prone to upright position the leaves are caused tomove upward relatively to the adjacent forward frames or leaves andnormally stand approximately in balanced position but inclined to tiltrearward by reason of the weight carried by the rearward portion of theleaves excepting the rearmost one, the tilting however being preventedby the back rest. V

When it is desired to remove the frames from their case the button 10isturned so as to release lthe base plate 1l after which the frames aremoved to prone position. After releasing the catches 28 and 23" fromthenotches 22 and 22" respectively the base plate and the frames or leavesare removed together from the case and may beset upright as in Fig. 2,.the upper or free' ends of the frames being suitably clasped togetherif desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is j 1. A`tiling appliance including a plurality of filing fra-mes, meansoperatively connecting the frames for relative swinging movement, and aback rest for the rea-rmost frame pivotally carried by one of the otherframes, with means for holding the back rest in upright position.

2. A filing appliance including a plurality of frames, and a series ofcooperating de vices operatively connecting each two adj a5 cent framestogether, including a rack` bar carried 'by one frame, a gear segmentcarried by the other frame, and a yoke for holding'` the rack barandsegment in engagement with each other.

3. A filing appliance including aplurality of frames, a toothed rack barfixed onone of the frames, a toothed segment pivoted to another one ofthe frames, and a yoke niovably connected with the segment andthe rackbar for retaining the bar in connection with the segment.

4. A tiling appliance includino' a plurality of filing frames, and means`for connecting each two adjacent frames together, enabling the framesto roll, either one relatively to the other for effecting longitudinaland also swinging movement of one relatively to the other of t-heframes, said means including a member on one frame and devices on theother frame having gearing and slidingengagenient with said member.

5. A filing appliance including a plurality offrames, one frame having atoothed ra ck bar thereon, another one of the frames haiT` ing a toothedsegment and also a yoke pivoted thereto, the segment being in engage`ment with the rack bar, the yoke being guided by the rack bar andretaining the bar in engagementI with the segment.

6. A .tiling appliance including a plurality of collocated filing framesand a plurality of coperating devices operatively connectin each twoadjacent frames together including a combined guiding Vand controllingbaron one of the frames, and two different `connecting devices connectedby a common pivot to the adjacent one of the frames and having rollingconnect-ion with opposite sides of the combined guiding and controllingbar. v

7. A ling appliance .including a plurality iso ' foremost one of theframes, rack bars and one ofthe other frames and ycontrolled bytheguiding means.

8. A filing appliance includ-ing a plurality of collocated frames, theforemost one of the frames. being pivotally supported, mov-- able meansfor operatively' connecting the frames together for relative swingingand longitudinal movement, Vcontrolling means for the movable means, anda back rest behind the rear-.most onel of the frames and pivotallysupportedk and carried by another one ofthe frames,tthe.backrest beingoperatively connected with the controlling means..

9;. A- filing appliance includingV a case, a plurality of collocatedupright frames, a base plate pivoted tov and. supporting the gearsegments cooperating together and pro vided with movable yokesconnecting the fr-ames operatively together.. for relatively swingingand longitudinal movement, guide plates fixed on the base plate andhaving guidewaysthereon, and controllingy arms fixed to the gearsegments and guided by the guideways. Y

10.A A filing appliance including a case, guideways fixed inthe. case, aplurality of uprightly. collocated frames of which the. foremostone ispivotally supported in the case, rack bars: and gear segments and alsoyokes cooperating together and operatively connecting the framestogether for relatively swinging and longitudinal movement, con.-trolling arms .xed to the segments and guided by the guideways, one ofthe arms having a rearward extending rest-supporting. arm thereon, and aback rest removably connected. to and carried solely by therestsupporting arm, the back rest extending behind the rearmost one ofthe frames.

l1. A filing appliance including a case, a base platev secured` in thecase, guide plates fixed on thebase. plate and having separate portions.secured to thefcase, the guideplates having guideways thereon, means fordetachably securing the guidel plates to the separate portions thereof,a plurality of colloeated fra-mes, means pivotally connecting theforemost one of the frames tov the base plate, rack barsy and gearsegments and also yokes cooperating together and operatively connectingYthe frames together for relatively swingingl and longitudinal movement,and controlling' arms fixed. to. theY gear segments and guided by theguideways.

1-2. A. filing appliance, including a` case comprising sides, guidew-aysen the sides, a plurality of: collocated. frames of which the foremostis pivotall'y.y supported in the case, each frame excepting the rearmostonehaving,` a toothed segment.- and alsoy a. yoke pivoted= thereto toswing on one and the same axis, the yoke extending beyond the segment,each frame excepting the foremost one having a toothed rack bar fixedthereon that extends between the segment and the yoke and meshes withthe segment, controlling arms fixedly connected with the segments andguided by the guideways respectively, one ofthe arms having a rearwardextending rest-supporting arm thereon, and aback rest for the rearmostframe uprightly supported by the rest-supporting arm.

13. In a filing appliance, the combination with twoL adjacent filingframes, a toothed gear segment pivotally connected to one of the frames,and a toothed rack bar fixed on the remaining one of thc frames in meshwith the segment, of a. yoke pivotally connected with the segn'ient andembracing the rack bar, the yoke having a roller thereon guided by thebar and guiding the yoke, for connecting the frames together forrelatively longitudinal and swinging movement.

14. In a filing appliance, the combination with a plurality of uprightlycollocated filing frames, and means operatively connecting the framesone to another for relatively longitudinal and swinging movement, ofmovable means for controlling the longitudinal movement during swingingmovement and provided with rest-supporting means, and a back rest solelysupported by the rest-supporting means and extending behind the rearmostone of the` frames.

15. In a filing appliance, the combination of a plurality of collocatedfiling frames, one of the frames having a toothed bar fixed thereointhenext adjacent one of the frames having a pivotal shaft thereon, atoothed segment and also a yoke connected to the shaft, the segmentbeing in mesh with the bar, the yokev having a roller in movable contactwith the bar for retaining the bar in mesh with the segment.

16. In a filing appliance, the combination of av plurality of filingframes uprightly collocated, pivots for supporting the foremost one oftheframes, and means cooperating to enable one of each two adjacentfames to support the other including a fixed toothed device on oneframe, a controlled toothed device on the other frame and a yoke forretaining the devices in cooperative relation each with the other.

17. In a filing appliance, the combination of a plurality of filingframes, yokes carried by the frames, and gearing devices coperating withtwo adjacent ones of the frames and, retained in cooperative relation,each device with the other, by the adjacent yoke, for connecting thcframes one to another.

18. In a filing appliance, the combination with a plurality of filingframes having toothed bars thereon, and toothed segments mounted on theframes in mesh with .the

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bars of adjacent frames, of means slidahly engaging and ooperating Withthe bars for retaining` the bars in meshing connection with thesegments.

19. In a ling appliance, the combination of a plurality of oollooatedfiling frames having toothed supporting bars rigidly fixed thereon,segmentsl pivotally connected to the frames and having teeth and curvedperpheral guides at one side of the teeth, and l0 means for retainingthe segments in Contact with the hars of adjacent frames.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

ELLIS T. SILVIUS. Witnesses: t

J. H. GARDNER, M. E. SPARROW.

@Bomen of this patent may be obtaine 'for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of @atenta Washington, 1Q, f,

